Lotus 3-Eleven is the fastest car on Hockenheimring short Circuit

Meet the quickest series production car from Lotus – the new Lotus 3-Eleven. As recorded by highly respected German car magazine “sport auto,” Lotus 3-Eleven completed the Hockenheimring short Circuit in just one minute and 6.2 seconds.

Driven by race driver Christian Gebhardt who is also Road Test Editor for “sport auto,” the Lotus 3-Eleven was riding on standard road tires during a less than perfect weather as temperatures soared no higher than 8 degrees Celsius.

At a lap time of one minute and 6.2 seconds, the Lotus 3-Eleven is now the fastest among extreme and ultra-expensive vehicles included in the “sport auto” lap-time chart. The list now puts the Porsche 918 Spyder at second with a lap time of 1 minute and 6.3 seconds, followed by the Gumpert Apollo at 1 minute and 7.2 seconds.

Completing the top five are the Radical SR3 SL (1.08:1 minute) and the Lamborghini Gallardo Squadra Corse (1.08:2 minute). Tied at sixth are the Corvette ZR1 and the Ferrari 488 GTB, both clocking 1.08:3 minute. Rounding up the top 10 are the Porsche 911 GT2 RS at 1.08:4 minute; the Porsche 911 GT3 RS (991) at 1.08:5 minute; and the Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series at 1.08:6 minute.

Gebhardt described the Lotus 3-Eleven as an amazingly fast and track-focused car laden with lots of fun. He noted that the Lotus 3-Eleven is now the fastest series-production car in the test history of “sport auto” on the Hockenheimring Short Circuit. A report on the feat of the Lotus 3-Eleven appears on the April issue of “sport auto” Magazine that went on sale on March 11, 2016. Jean-Marc Gales, chief executive of Group Lotus plc, noted that Gebhardt managed to set a new lap record even in less than ideal conditions.

He quipped that the lap record validates Lotus’ conviction that the Lotus 3-Eleven is a phenomenal car capable of achieving great things. He described the car as the ultimate embodiment of the Lotus design philosophy -- a beautifully engineered vehicle with no excess weight and boasts of 460hp of output and race car handling.

Interestingly, the new Lotus 3-Eleven represents the next generation of Lotus high performance sports cars. In fact, it is the carmaker’s quickest and most expensive series production car to date. It uses a lightweight composite body and rides on a bespoke chassis featuring extruded and bonded aluminum sections.

With 460 hp of output at its disposal, the new Lotus 3-Eleven boasts of over 500 hp per ton power-to-weight ratio – allowing the high performance car to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds and reach a limited max speed of 180 mph (290 km/h).

During its development, Lotus had the 3-Eleven tested at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. There, the 3-Eleven proved to be capable of setting a sub-7 minute lap time. Customers are now able to acquire the Lotus 3-Eleven, of which 311 cars are to be produced over the next two years.

Press Release

‘HYPERCAR-KILLING’ LOTUS 3-ELEVEN SETS HOCKENHEIMRING LAP RECORD

The Lotus 3-Eleven, the quickest series production car to come from Lotus’ Hethel Headquarters, has set the fastest lap time ever recorded by the leading and highly-respected German car magazine, “sport auto”.

Driven by Christian Gebhardt, a highly accomplished driver and Road Test Editor for “sport auto”, the Lotus 3-Eleven lapped the Hockenheimring short Circuit in an incredible 1 minute 06.2 seconds. This time was even more impressive considering that the 3-Eleven was on standard road tyres and the fastest lap was completed in less than perfect weather, where temperatures did not get higher than 8 degrees Celsius.

Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus plc said, “Christian set a fabulous lap in less than ideal conditions. We knew from the outset that we have created a simply phenomenal car that is capable of great things, and this lap record proves that beyond doubt. This is the ultimate embodiment of the Lotus design philosophy; it’s a beautifully engineered machine that doesn’t carry one ounce of excess weight. With 460hp on tap and race car handling at your disposal, this car is the ultimate giant killer”.

The Lotus 3-Eleven is now at the top of the “sport auto” lap-time chart which includes some of the most expensive and extreme roads cars on sale, from leading German, Italian, American and British manufacturers.

Christian Gebhardt, Road Test Editor for “sport auto” said, “The Lotus 3-Eleven is an amazingly fast and track focused car in which to have a lot of fun at the limit. It is the fastest series-production car in the test history of “sport auto” on the Hockenheimring Short Circuit.”

The “sport auto” Top 10 times (production cars) at Hockenheimring Short Circuit

1. Lotus 3-Eleven, 1.06:2 min

2. Porsche 918 Spyder, 1.06:3 min

3. Gumpert Apollo, 1.07:2 min

4. Radical SR3 SL, 1.08:1 min

5. Lamborghini Gallardo Squadra Corse, 1.08:2 min

6=. Corvette ZR1, 1.08:3 min

6=. Ferrari 488 GTB, 1.08:3 min

8. Porsche 911 GT2 RS, 1.08:4 min

9. Porsche 911 GT3 RS (991), 1.08:5 min

10. Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series, 1.08:6 min

A full video of the record breaking lap can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2hMgSDizV0

The April (4) issue of “sport auto” Magazine, which includes the Lotus 3-Eleven lap time is on sale from today 11 March 2016

The Lotus 3-Eleven in more detail:

Heralding the next generation of Lotus high performance sports cars, the 3-Eleven is the company’s quickest and most expensive series production car ever.

Designed to deliver an undiluted experience, the Lotus 3-Eleven utilises an all-new lightweight composite body, and a bespoke chassis based on the proven Lotus design of extruded and bonded aluminium sections.

The 3-Eleven offers a giant-slaying power-to-weight ratio, thanks to a revised V6 supercharged engine developing 460 hp, to provide in excess of 500 hp per tonne. It is capable of sprinting from 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds before reaching a maximum speed of 180 mph (290 km/h).

As part of its development the Lotus 3-Eleven spent time at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, where it was one of the fastest road going cars to ever tackle the track, capable of setting a sub-7 minute lap time.

The Lotus 3-Eleven is on sale now with production strictly limited to 311 cars to be built over the next two years.